The Truth About Senior Marketing Roles Right Now – Job Market, CMO Tenure and How to Thrive
Episode 165 with guest Joel Barnett, Founder of Fortune Hill
The second in our mini-series on how marketing roles are changing, in this episode we highlight what the job market looks like right now, including: why so many senior roles are disappearing or being restructured, what companies are looking for in marketing leaders today, the importance of role clarity and expectations, and job search advice.
Joining Abby is her guest Joel Barnett, Founder and CEO of Fortune Hill, who partners with ambitious organisations to appoint Marketing, Commercial, and HR leaders to supercharge business performance and enhance culture. With decades of experience placing marketing executives across some of the UK’s most recognised brands, Joel shares his honest yet optimistic assessment of where the marketing profession currently stands – and what both leaders and organisations need to do differently.
Key takeaways
- The CMO title is disappearing… More recruitment briefs are coming through as Chief Growth Officer or Chief Customer Officer, as the CMO role itself is being disaggregated
- Why are CMO tenures getting shorter… Joel reflects that marketing leaders share some of the responsibility, through poorly managed expectations, a reluctance to have difficult conversations, and in some cases, overstating what they can and will deliver
- The brief is broken… 75% of unsuccessful hires come down to a poorly constructed brief. Companies are hiring to solve a short-term problem, prioritising sector experience over the character traits that determine long-term success.
- Tips for leaders… Hire first for character, then capability and finally experience – too often organisations hire the CV but fire what isn’t CV-related.
- Taking the reins of your job search… The job market is tough and there is a significant supply and demand imbalance right now. Joel’s advice: treat your job search like a marketing campaign, be the driver not the passenger, and don’t take a role just for the title.
Resources
The Whole Marketer ‘Define your ideal role’ resource – free download
https://thewholemarketer.com/resources/
The Whole Marketer ‘Take the reins of your career’ resource – free download
https://thewholemarketer.com/resources/
The Whole Marketer ‘Develop your authentic leadership style’ resource – free download
https://thewholemarketer.com/resources/
Are Marketers facing a clarity crisis? – Marketing Week article
